The Calgary Flames kicked off their final big road trip of the season with a loss on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 6-3 decision in Ottawa to the hometown Senators. The Flames held a lead for the better part of the second period, but their habit of allowing late-period goals may’ve come back to bite ’em.

The first frame was rather even, with each side putting 13 pucks on net and getting some timely offense. The Senators opened the scoring mid-way through the period via a Milan Michalek tip-in of an Erik Karlsson shot. Matt Stajan soon responded back with his 12th of the year to even it up. However, just after the Flames finished killing off a Kevin Westgarth slashing penalty, Michalek scored his second of the period to give Ottawa the lead, really sapping the Flames of some momentum.

The second was all Calgary. They out-shot Ottawa 21-9, and it’s lucky for the Senators that Robin Lehner kept all but two of ’em out. Ottawa kid Paul Byron scored his 7th early in the period to tie it. Ottawa 67s product Sean Monahan scored his 20th of the year (woo!) to give Calgary the lead. Just when things were going so, so well, Ottawa’s Kyle Turris put a Clarke MacArthur feed past Karri Ramo with just over 3 minutes left to tie it at 3-3.

And while second was most Calgary, the third belonged to the home side. Ottawa out-shot the Flames 16-5 and scored three times: Jared Cowen gave ’em the lead 72 seconds in, Clarke MacArthur added insurance half-way through the period and Turris added an empty-netter late to ice it.

Two big reasons: they gave up key goals late in the first and second periods, and they didn’t have much to show for their third. When you only put up five shots in the third period on the road, in a game you’re trailing, you probably won’t win.

As tempting as it is to go with one of the Ottawa boys, Mikael Backlund had 9 shots and won half his draws. #11 continues to be nothing if not a reliably strong player.

Calgary drops to 31-37-7 and are officially eliminated from playoff contention. They head to Toronto for Tuesday night’s game with the Leafs, where they will attempt to spoil their playoff hopes.